As Da Camera celebrates 20 years of excellence and innovation in concert presentation, we take a unique musical look at the 20th century. From concerts making connections to such great figures as James Joyce, Sigmund Freud, Gertrude Stein and Albert Einstein; to signature programs exploring the intersections of music, literature and art; to legendary 20th century compositions like Stravinsky’s Les Noces and Elliott Carter’s string quartets, the 2007/2008 season represents the essential creative spirit of Da Camera.

Collaborations have been an important part of our 20 year history. This season, Da Camera joins together with Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera Studio and Houston Chamber Choir for new, ambitious projects. Our Opening Night features world premiere choreography by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch for Brahms’s beloved Liebeslieder Waltzes. Our Exiles in Paris Mini-Festival features the Houston Chamber Choir performing Stravinsky’s Les Noces under the baton of renowned Dutch conductor Reinbert de Leeuw. A special program, Notes on Painters, celebrates our unique 20-year relationship with The Menil Collection.

Our 2007-08 artist roster is unusually international, with musicians from France, Holland, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, India and Russia joining our musicians from Houston, New York and across America. While we welcome back many performers who have appeared on the Da Camera stage in the past, this 20th anniversary season features an extraordinary number of Da Camera and Houston debuts. We’re proud to welcome violinist Elmar Oliveira, mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, violist Tabea Zimmerman, clarinetist David Shifrin, the Keller and Pacifica String Quartets, Sō Percussion, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, guitarist Manuel Barrueco, jazz saxophonists Greg Osby and Ravi Coltrane and jazz pianist Vijay Iyer.

A landmark anniversary is a time to look both forward and back. From our opening gala concert, Happy Birthday, Da Camera! to our closing program of two musical masterpieces, After Einstein: Music and the Relativity of Time, we celebrate all that is quintessentially Da Camera. We joyfully invite you to join us for this entire festive season: DA CAMERA 20:20.